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Soaps

Emmerdale confirms very special episode to air on its 50th anniversary

The soap will reach 50 on October 16

Emmerdale bosses have revealed a special one-hour episode of the ITV soap will air to mark its 50th anniversary.

The ITV soap will air on Sunday October 16 to celebrate half a century to the day since it first hit our screens.

We don’t know what is going to happen in the anniversary episode but it’s sure to be explosive.

Emmerdale cast 2022 outside Woolpack
The cast posed for a special photo (Credit: ITV)

To celebrate the announcement, Emmerdale unveiled its official cast photo.

When is Emmerdale’s 50th anniversary?

The snap was taken earlier this year and shows everyone gathered outside the Woolpack pub.

It includes newer cast members, the children and even the village dog!

As Emmerdale gears up for its big day, bosses are keeping full details under wraps.

But showrunner Jane Hudson teased the 50th back in January on a call to Entertainment Daily! and other press.

She revealed a host of spoilers including a shock birth for the 50th and possible a wedding.

Emmerdale bosses teased a birth during the 50th anniversary celebrations (Credit: ITV)

“Our focus at the moment is to really build those stories so when we get to our Golden Month of Celebration, we’ve got secrets that the viewers are desperate to be revealed,” she said.

“There’s probably going to be a birth in there perhaps.

“Babies in soaps are either born on programme celebrations or Christmas so there’s going to be one of those happening.”

And she revealed that a huge stunt would happen too.

The villagers will face a life-changing storm

She said: “And we’ll do something epic – there will be an epic stunt because we’re well-known for that.”

It was later revealed that the stunt will take place in the form of a huge storm which will batter the village.

Speaking at an Emmerdale press event, soap bosses said: “Some of our best-loved villagers will be in peril and it’s safe to say that literally the village won’t be the same after this.

“It’ll never be the same again.”

Moira and Faith Emmerdale
Faith’s cancer storyline will reach its conclusion (Credit: ITV)

Read more: Who is in the cast of Emmerdale 2022? Meet the full line-up

Emmerdale has also confirmed that some legendary characters will return to the village for the big day.

Aaron Dingle, played by Danny MillerDiane Sugden, played by Elizabeth Estensen, and Tracy Metcalfe, played by Amy Walsh will all be back.

And we know that Faith Dingle will exit as her cancer storyline comes to an end.

Hudson said at a special press event about the anniversary: “As we start our brilliant month, we’ll be focusing on our Faith storyline, which is a huge storyline for us at the moment and then we will work our way into our storm.

She added: “It is such an emotional, heartbreaking story and is going to be huge across our 50th.”

There are lots of rumours doing the rounds, such as a potential return for serial killer Meena Jutla, death for Vinny and Liv and Amelia giving birth.

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Emmerdale usually airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays.

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